The Dark Savior
by Kruspe12
Summary: I'm terrified of the dark. I can't sleep. A flash of red, the slash of a sword, I begin to feel hope that someone out there fights for everything I am afraid of. Please, bring me out of the darkness, whoever you are. DantexOC, violence, sexual content
1. My story

I am terrified of the dark.

Ever since I was 2, I have never been able to get to sleep without some fear of something dreadful happening. It could be as silly as monsters lurking under my bed or in my closet, or as petty as the tiniest noises made by the gentle breeze outside my window. Either way, the dark was my enemy, and I felt like it's prey. Constantly hunted by the figments of my imagination. To put it this way, I have learned to sleep with one eye open and my ears at full attention.

Honestly, I don't know why I hate the dark. Nothing bad has ever happened to me. My parents have always consoled me, assured me that monsters don't exist and as long as I kept my window locked that I should have no fear of somebody breaking in. Yet, I choose to believe the crazy stories my head conjures up.

My parents named me Uriela, meaning 'God's light'. It seems like it was all a big joke now. God's light, it seems, is easily smothered by fantasy stories and the inane fear thought up in the head of a 2 year old girl. Here I am at 18 years of age, and my mind still wins the fight every night. A constant war that I feel almost pathetic for taking part in, easily surrendering myself to the idea that the darkness will swallow me whole and I am to just accept my fate that I may never get past that thought.

I've driven my parents mad over the years. Wake up calls around midnight, one a.m., seem commonplace now. They've learned to live with it. My screams when something goes bump in the night, or the nightmares that plague me when I close my eyes. I've become nearly catatonic. When I was 10, my parents decided that they needed a break and tried to send me to summer camp with some of my friends. You can guess what I thought of that. I kicked, I screamed, I pleaded with them not to send me. Sleeping in a tent in the middle of nowhere, it was the perfect set up for a horror movie. Except this was real life and I would not let them do it to me.

"You need to be with your friends on your own for a while," they kept saying.

"No, no, I don't want to go!" I screamed back, clutching on to my bed.

"You won't get over this if you don't try something different. We have had it!" My dad tried to reason with me, but I wasn't buying it. Sure, I felt bad for all the trouble I had caused them, but sending me to the woods with nothing but a flimsy piece of sheer plastic and a zipper to call my room seemed too harsh. I hated tents.

"I'm not going!" I yelled, stomping the ground for emphasis. They would have to put me in a straight jacket if they wanted me to go so badly.

Eventually they gave up and let me stay home for the Summer holidays. But, there was a catch. I had to see a therapist if I wanted to stay home. Appointments had to be at least once a week. I complied, anything to stay in the sanctuary of my room. Eight years after that day, and I have improved slightly. I have stayed at other people's houses overnight without crying or screaming. I never slept though, and would always leave early the next morning to go home and sleep for most of the day.

I don't want to be afraid any more. My sanity is on the line here. One night, I'm sure something will happen, and God's light will shine and eradicate my twisted ideas.

If only I had known it was a demon that would help it shine through...


	2. A tale of a broken family

Morning finally came. The sun peered through the crack in my curtain, shining right on my face. It felt warm, inviting me to join it for a brand new day. Wearily, I rolled my eyes. Another night with barely any sleep. I rejected the sun, instead pulling the blanket up over my head attempting to lull myself back to sleep. It didn't work. Through the wall I could hear mother was in the shower, singing away to herself. Keep in mind that my mother is tone deaf, so it wasn't the greatest noise to wake up to in the morning. In a huff, I ripped the pillow out from under my head and used it to smother my face and ears. This was the only time it felt safe to fall asleep and I was interrupted by my mother trying to belt out opera tunes.

I forced myself up on my elbows and looked at my alarm clock through blurry, bloodshot eyes.

6:30am. Friday.

Mother was getting ready for work, of course. Thankfully, this would be the last day of the week where I would be so rudely awoken. Tomorrow I could sleep in, at least I hoped I could. Down the hall I could hear dad in the kitchen, fixing breakfast for mum before she left for work. Their relationship had been almost a complete role reversal in the last few years. Mother was definitely the one who wore the pants in the family. Dad injured himself on a construction site about 3 years ago and has been on disability ever since. This left mother to be the bread winner for the family. It also left her too busy to be bothered with annoyances like doing things as a family on the weekend. Since she was a lawyer, she worked many long hours and much of her weekend was taken up with filing and paperwork for cases for the next week. Nevertheless, I have learned to lean on my dad more than my mother. Though I do miss spending time with mother, it's been great getting to know dad again.

There was a time where mother was simply mum, and a fantastic one at that. I loved coming home from school, taking in the delicious scent of dinner, running in to tell her about my day and ask her about hers. Now it seems like too much trouble to acknowledge my presence, other than the same line she gives me every time I go to talk to her:

"Leave me alone, Uri. I have to finish this paperwork."

She never does get it finished. Sometimes I walk in to her room late at night and notice her passed out, sitting up on the bed snoring away, her paperwork in shambles spread out on the bed. Dad spends most of his nights asleep on the couch. He doesn't dare disturb mother.

"She does great things for this family," he tells me when he sees how discouraged I get that mother won't even give me the time of day.

"I know," I reply. "But how important is the money that she sacrifices her own family?"

Dad never responds. He just pats me on the shoulder, gives me an awkward half smile and walks away. I know my dad pretty well now. That smile means 'I want your mum back too.' We both missed her dearly, but have learned to just put up and shut up.

* * *

"Uri, hurry up and get your breakfast, will ya?"

I sat up on the bed, rubbing my eyes furiously. They felt puffy and sore, almost like I'd spent the whole night crying. Reluctantly, I slid out of bed and went to my dresser. I sat down, barely looking at my own reflection. I knew I would be disgusted with what I saw. I was a complete and utter mess. I hated myself for this ridiculous phobia of the dark .Achluophobia, the psychologist called it. The fear of the darkness. I felt like a child trapped in a horrific fairy tale sometimes. I feared the monsters mainly. They plagued my dreams, they consumed my thoughts. I know it seems pathetic, and I probably am. I don't know why I can't stop thinking about these monsters, believe me I've tried. I have such a belief that I have seen them. I swear, I have looked out my window in the dead of night and have seen glowing red eyes staring back at me.

Each night I wished, I prayed for my knight in shining armor to save me from the vile creatures that lurked outside my room. My parents told me it was just because of my lack of sleep that my brain conjured up these monsters, these demons. I want to believe them. I want a normal life.

"Uri, hurry up before it gets cold!" my mother nagged again. I took a deep breath and put on my dressing gown, curling it around my body and holding it close to protect me from the cold. My feet found my slippers under the edge of my bed and I walked out to the kitchen, not before giving my window one last glance.

"Nothing there, just your paranoia," I tried to convince myself.


	3. My knight in red armour

Another mundane day.

Had breakfast, flopped on the couch and watched T.V, nearly fell asleep right before I had to go to work, reluctantly went to work, nearly passed out at work, trudged home and flopped on the couch yet again...

That's the last I remember. I woke up with a stiffened neck and feet that were throbbing. I hated working at the bar, especially with the drunk patrons breathing their bourbon breaths all over me, slurring something along the lines of "you're perdey...". I could never make it out, nor did I particularly care. It was money in the pocket, and time away from my parents. Anything to feel like less of a burden for them.

My headache pulsated behind my left eye, a sharp pain that caused me to squeeze my eyes shut. I didn't know how much more of this life I could take. Same thing day in, day out. Then there's the lack of sleep on top of it. I never had enough energy for anything. That's why I dropped out of school early. Always getting in trouble for falling asleep at the back of class during lessons. My grades plummeted and the teachers threatened to talk to my parents about my 'health issues' they called it. I was getting detention after detention due to said 'health issue' and I felt powerless to change the slump I wound up in. I found it easier to just give up on school altogether.

Mother came through the door just as I started to drift back to sleep, curled up on the couch under the blaring lights.

"I'm home!" she cooed. I barely batted an eyelid at her announcement. She should know what it's like to feel ignored for once. I felt a hand brush my shoulder, then gently shake me. I slowly opened one eye, looked up and then promptly closed it again. "Have you had dinner?" she asked. I nodded, hoping she wouldn't notice my lie. "Why don't you go on up to bed then?" she said with a voice that I hadn't heard in at least 3 years. It was kind, soft and genuine. My head lolled to the side as I squinted to look at her. Rubbing my eyes I sat up on the couch, stretching out my aching legs. 'I was asleep until you interrupted me', I felt like saying, but instead I obeyed her request. I was too tired to argue.

As soon as I reached my room I quickly opened the door and snaked my hand in, feeling for the light switch. I refused to enter my room when it's dark. I flicked the light on and went to sit in front of my computer. I suddenly felt wide awake. 'Great,' I groaned. I checked my usual websites, nothing terribly exciting. The time displayed on the computer read 9:48pm. I grabbed the bottle of sleeping pills that lived on the drawers next to my bed and took 2 of them. I had to see both a psychologist and psychiatrist. One to diagnose, one to treat, neither of them did any good. A waste of money if you ask me.

Still, the sleeping pills were a shred of hope. At least they could help me to feel tired again. Taking a huge gulp of water to chase the pills, I silently prayed to myself. 'Please, let me have just _one_ night of sweet sleep. No nightmares, no fears, just unconsciousness.' I took pity on myself, pleading to a non existent God for something that was entirely under my control. God won't fix my brain, that's for me to decide. I exhaled sharply and decided to throw some music on. If there was anything to calm my restless soul, it was music.

As my favourite song began to play, I could feel my eyelids becoming heavy. I pushed myself off my chair and allowed myself to flop on the bed as the sweet melody played, not even noticing dad had opened my window while I was at work, and that I hadn't bothered to close it...

'One more soul to the call,' I whispered the name of the song as I felt my body drift away from me as I teetered on the brink of consciousness and blissful sleep...

_Enough..._

_With light..._

_Tell me one..._

_More time..._

_My blood..._

_Your line..._

_Is this you, inside?_

I gave in to the sanctity of sleep, my body grateful to finally get a break. However, this was just the start for my mind. The same nightmare I have had for countless years began, and I could not escape.

_Death... to the living...  
The flame has no living heart_

Darkness consumed everything around me. I was only a little girl, still unwise in the ways of the world, terrified, alone, stranded. I panicked. No one was here to pull me out. I had to endure the horror all on my own. Deep in the darkness, the faint tinge of red could be seen. '_Oh no, please... somebody... anybody, save me!' _I pleaded inside my head, unable to make the words come out of my mouth. Left speechless, the shade of red in the distance drew closer, becoming brighter and more menacing with each passing second. _'Please!'_ I tried to scream. It was no use. I had become the darkness' prey once more, free for it to feed on. The more I tried to scream, make any noise, it got caught in my throat, choking me. The closer they came, the harder it was to breathe. My chest was caving in. I was nothing but a hopeless little girl trapped in the ultimate Hell.

_In the order, of life, they know you there...  
As you saw it, your plan, a real shot in the dark..._

Came a little, too late, it's over... 

I collapsed on the ground in premature defeat. My knight would not turn up. I would not be saved. Who would want to save someone as useless as me? I was nothing to anyone, nothing but a burden to everyone. In the distance, but still closing in, I could hear the snarls coming from the beasts, the demons. Dog-like creatures that stood as tall as a human, and what seemed like acid dripping from their protruding fangs were coming for me. To them, I was a tasty snack, something to bide their time with. I wouldn't put up much of a fight. The only battle they would have was dominance for who would take the first bite among them. I crouched in the fetal position, falling on my side on the ground which seemed to disappear in to the black void around me. This is it, this was the end.

_Calling, the children...  
Conception...  
And dying...  
Silent, but screaming! _

Inside my head, I was calling out for somebody to hear me. The cries for help only echoed off the walls around my mind as I cried. I didn't want it to end like this. What did I ever do to deserve this? I cradled my head in my hands, blocking my ears so I couldn't hear their growls of hunger. In the end, I became nothing but dog meat. God does not exist, nor does he care about me. I should just accept this as my fate. I grit my teeth, I clenched my fists so tight till they bled and waited for the darkness to finally own me as another of its' victims.

_Sacrifice...  
Wasted life...  
Death in me...  
Redefines...  
Someone, chooses you...  
Lucky one, close your eyes, your family knows you're here!  
_

I laid in waiting for what seemed like eternity but dared not to open my eyes. Perhaps they were just assessing where to attack me first for the quickest kill.

I loosened the grip around my ears, listening intently for the sound of snapping jaws and tearing flesh. It never came. Instead, I could hear a voice, whether it was human or not, I couldn't tell. It was certainly unexpected. I strained to hear what was going on, trying to make sense of what was happening. Off to my right, I heard a grunt. I slowly turned my head, trying to focus on the source of the noise. It didn't _sound_ like one of the dog creatures, so what was it? Were there other monsters that thirsted for my flesh as well?

Suddenly there was a sharp yelp, still menacing, but I could tell one of the dogs was hurt. More growls and deep barks could be heard. They were lunging for something, yet I was still in one piece. Claws scraped along the ground as they chased after whatever it was. Even if I wanted to, I could not open my eyes. Terror flowed through my body, paralyzing me. Just what the hell was going on?

More yelps followed the barking, and I was still frozen on the ground. The sound of metal tearing through flesh nearly made me sick. I was stuck in a horror movie with no way out. Was I being helped? No, of course not. This was Hell, after all. Soon the noise subsided, and I felt alone again. Was it safe to open my eyes? Who knows, but I did anyway. I strained hard to focus on my surroundings, and when my vision returned to normal, I wished I could have let out a blood curdling scream. I gasped in disbelief. All around me, the mangled carcases of the giant dogs were left lifeless and limp on the ground, blood covered the ground in a shallow pool near me. I scrambled to my feet, trying to work out what happened. Then, in front of me, I saw it. The flash of red. The glimmer of metal. The pristine snow-coloured hair.

My savior, my knight I had prayed for every day, had finally saved me. For the first time in my life, I felt comfort. I did not fear him, I could not. Tenderly, I muttered a quiet 'thanks,' only wising I could have said more. I wanted to know who he was, what he was doing here, and why he chose me. I couldn't thank him enough. He never acknowledged me, only turned and ran back in to the darkness from where he came.

He had done more for me in a few moments than anyone in my entire life. I was forever in his debt.


	4. Early morning surprises

Hey guys, forgot to put disclaimer in earlier chapters! Woopsie!

I don't own Devil May Cry or any of the characters. The best gaming company in the world have those rights :(

Uriela is mine, mine I say! HAHAHA! Oh, same with her parents and any other OC's... but don't panic, there won't be many, if any.

Some of these chapters may seem short or slow, but I'm kinda restricted with how much time I can spend on here writing. Sharing computer, and the T.V is actually the monitor, so makes it hard to update :( that, and I want SOME suspense lol.

Enjoy!

* * *

I awoke early in the morning feeling oddly refreshed, enjoying the sun warming my bones as I lay on – wait, morning? It was morning already? I flew out of bed and stared at my alarm clock.

7:17am blinked repeatedly, almost as if to say 'yes, you really did.'

But I couldn't believe it. I wake up at least 2 or 3 times during the night, and that's on a _good_ night. Surely I must have woken up at some point, maybe I don't remember it. Yeah, that's it, that _has_ to be it. I tried hard to recall my last memory of the night before. 9:48pm, music softly playing in the background as I flopped on the bed, then... nothing. Feeling a little more awake, I became aware that the music was still playing through my computer speakers. 'That's odd,' I thought to myself. 'I usually wake up and turn it off early in the night.'

My thoughts drifted to my nightmare. The dogs, the blood, the snarls. Yet, somehow, I didn't feel haunted by them anymore. Then it hit me.

The man in red.

Did I create him in my head to help vanquish the terrors of the dream? Maybe, but it felt so real. The smell emanating from those foul beasts still stung my nostrils even though I was awake. Their hot breath all over my skin seemed so much more than a work of fiction in my mind. My skin still tingles with the goosebumps when I think back to it all. So why didn't I wake up screaming in terror like every other time?

It had to be him.

He slaughtered them all. Tore them limb from limb, all with out much effort. Bold, daring, strong. He protected me, then left me alone with barely a whisper. I didn't get the chance to tell him how long I had waited for him, how alone I have been, how terrified I have felt. He comes in with one sword and slashes away at all my fears, giving me boundless hope that I can push through it.

I must have imagined him.

'They're just dreams, Uri. Monsters don't exist. You made him up because your lack of sleep has driven you nearly insane and you even said so yourself, that you would give anything for just one night of uninterrupted sleep. Well, your prayers were answered by you. No one else. There is no man in red there to save you. There's nothing to save you from. You're just slowly learning to regain your sanity, and finally see the truth. It's taken 16 long years, but you're only now starting to grow up.

I made my way over to my dresser, plonking myself down in the chair. I never really used the dresser except for storage. I had no reason to look in the mirror. My face frightened me, my reflection mocked me everyday. Today, however, felt like a day for change. I had faced the demons in my dreams, now I had to face them in reality. I closed my eyes and turned my head to face the mirror. With one deep breath, I slowly peered through a squinted eyelid, keeping the other shut firmly. What would be staring back at me? Carefully, I opened both my eyes, staring in shock at who was looking back.

It was me.

My long, deep brown hair looked as though it had already begun to regain some of it's health. It was brittle and thinning for the longest time. Yet this morning, it looked stronger, and even a little shiny. Not much, but it was enough to bring a tear to my eye. Speaking of eyes, they didn't sting. I had barely rubbed them after I awoke, whereas I normally rubbed them furiously and found it hard to focus. My eyelids weren't heavy, vision was not blurred. I stared at them in disbelief. The bags underneath had slowly faded, the puffiness deflated. As I looked at myself, the deep brown in the iris of my eye was no longer clouded. They looked much brighter and vivid. My fingers reached up and traced the outline of my lips. They were still a little swollen, but I hadn't chewed them in my sleep like normal. The thickness of my lips was more defined, the line no longer blurred by bright red teeth marks.

I felt like myself again.

A huge grin took over my face as I traced every line with my fingertips. I didn't look horrifying anymore. I didn't feel sick inside. I began to feel like a whole new person. My outlook had changed. I felt happy to get out in to the world and enjoy it for what it's worth, rather than feel like the world was against me all the time.

"Thank you," I said with tears in my eyes. "Thank you, figment of my imagination."

Quickly, I got dressed and skipped down the hall to see dad and mother. I'm sure they would have been surprised. Later, I would be surprised as well. I still had not noticed the open window in my room.

Which meant I hadn't noticed the streak of blood on the window frame...


	5. An unexpected patron

My last shift for the week started at 12:30pm. I wasn't dreading it like I usually do either. For once I could work at a decent pace and not feel like passing out half way through. Bar work takes a lot out of you, especially with the after-lunch rush on to of the demanding regulars. I didn't hate being a bartender, I just never had the energy or the passion for it. As I state earlier, it was an easy way to earn money of my own so I wasn't such a burden to my parents all the time.

I walked through the door early, around 12:15pm, more than ready to start serving. One of the regulars raised an eyebrow at me as I tied my apron around my waist.

"What's gotten in to you today, missy?" Jack quizzed. Jack was an old sweetie, and had been coming to the bar for around 30-odd years. 'The bar fly' we called him, because he was always buzzing around.

"Just had a good night's sleep, that's all," I answered, tucking a tea towel under the tie of my apron. Jack smiled.

"Maybe you just had a 'good night', eh?" He said with a wink. I gasped in mock surprise.

"I thought you knew better than that Jack," I retorted, playfully. He merely shrugged his shoulders with a cheeky smile spread across his deep-scarred face.

"I'm just a dirty old man," He said before taking one last swig of his beer, putting it on the counter in front of him. "Don't mind me, love." I walked over and picked up his glass, filling it up without another word. Normally we have to give patrons new glasses for every drink, but Jack hated that. He called it unnecessary waste, arguing that all it does is make more work for us.

"I take it this one is going on your tab, too?" I said, walking over to a wall chart that had everyone's tabs drawn up. Jack's took up half the board, of course. He simply nodded, and I drew another line next to the already large tally. I went back to my work. Most of the afternoon was spent cleaning, listening to the regulars and their stories which I've already heard countless times. The lunch rush had finished by 2:30pm and I was busy cleaning tables when I heard the door chime. I looked up – and froze.

That hair...

That build...

That _colour..._

"No way..." I muttered in disbelief. "It can't be!" I stared at him in shock, unable to move or breathe. He had shoulder length white hair, as pure as snow and all natural. He stood around 6 feet tall, maybe a couple of inches more, with a fairly muscular build that was as intimidating as all hell. Brown baggy leather pants hugged his hips and hung over a pair of black combat boots. He wore a black muscle shirt enveloped by a short, red leather jacket. His face had amazing bone structure; a chiseled jaw, high cheek bones, full lips. His eyes had me mesmerized. The brightest blue I had ever seen, but they came with a stare that bore daggers if he looked at you. It had to be him.

My knight. My savior of my dreams.

The regulars turned to look at him as he swiftly moved to the front of the bar, sitting himself down right next to Jack without a word. Though everyone stared, he looked at no one, just kept his head down and barely moved. Hurriedly, I ran behind the bar before Amanda got the chance to serve him. Everyone knew Amanda was a man eater. That's the only reason she worked here, to snag herself some fresh meat. She never went near anyone over 30, she left the regulars to me. And she never served any women either. I guess she saw them as competition. Amanda had barely noticed his presence as she was busy chatting on he phone. I took my opportunity.

"Hi there," I mumbled, my voice shaky with nerves. He didn't move. "What can I get for you?" The regulars were all still looking at him, waiting for him to shows any signs of life.

"JD, on the rocks," he answered, barely moving his lips. His voice was deep, dark and it oozed sex appeal. Blushing, I made his order as quick as I could, eager to please him. I placed the glass gingerly in front of him, willing my fingers to stop shaking. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Jack raising his eyebrow.

"Aren't you going to pay the lady, kid?" Jack asked the younger man, his question laced with sarcasm. The man in the red jacket sighed heavily and I watched his hand as he fished around in his pocket for his wallet. I gulped nervously, unsure why I was so anxious in the first place. His aura seemed to make everyone wary. He finally found what he was looking for. He opened his wallet and glanced inside in disappointment. With that, he replaced it in to his pocket and put his hands around his glass. His hands were covered by fingerless black leather gloves.

"Just put it on my tab," he said, sounding a little defeated. Without question, I went over to the board, ready to write up his tab.

"Um," I bit my bottom lip, "what name is it for?" He took a while to answer. He swallowed his entire drink in one gulp, barely flinching at the burning alcohol and stood up from his seat.

"Put it under Tony," he said, and left without a trace. Just as quickly as he came, he was gone.

I had never felt so relieved, yet so alone.


	6. The ride home

I left the bar at about 6pm when my shift finished. My feet were sore, but I could barely focus on anything other than Tony. I had barely been able to concentrate on anything other than his abrupt, yet unforgettable, visit earlier that afternoon. I made crazy mental notes about everything to do with him. 'He's handsome. He's strong. His presence makes people on edge. He likes Jack Daniels on the rocks. His eyes stare straight through people. He doesn't talk much. He doesn't carry money in his wallet. I am obsessed with finding out more about him.' My mind was in overdrive from the moment he walked in till now. What was I supposed to do? For all I know, he could be a nobody, just your average Joe. Maybe he doesn't socialize well, and that's what drew me to his odd behavior. Maybe he comes in to the bar all the time, and I've only just noticed him because of one stupid dream. One thing's for sure, I wasn't going to make sense of it any time soon.

As I walked to the car park, a shiver ran down my spine. A cold wind blew, only once, and brushed against the hairs on the back of my neck. I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment and took a deep breath. 'You are fine, just get to the car. Nothing is going to happen, just go.' I picked up my pace, hearing the clap of my heels reverberating off the ground. It did nothing to settle my nerves. Faster and faster I walked, my car in sight at the far end of the parking lot. "Great," I muttered. I made a beeline straight for it. As I approached, a red convertible came in to view parked right near my car. My feet stopped moving. All I could do was stare and panic. There was a figure in the car, hidden in the shadows of the lights overhead. Then I heard it. A whistle. A whistle coming from said red convertible, and it was directed at me. It had to be, there was no one else around. I tried desperately to gather resolve and calm down. The last thing I needed was for them to see me frightened and make their advances.

I stepped cautiously towards my car, trying hard not to look in the direction of the red one. My thoughts flashed back to Tony for a brief moment. It seemed that one colour would forever remind me of him. I got to the driver's side door, pressing the button on my remote to unlock the doors. It didn't work. Frantically, I kept clicking. "Come on, you stupid thing," I said, biting my bottom lip and feeling terrified all over again. I had to get the door open.

"Battery's flat," I heard a deep, but familiar voice say. I froze, my eyes nearly bulging out of my head. Slowly, I turned to the direction of the voice. It was coming from the red convertible. The figure moved it's head from the shadows, leaning over to the passenger side door. Immediately, I saw the white hair.

"Tony?" was all I could muster in reply. He simply grinned, and all my fears washed away. "How do you know the battery's flat in the remote?"

"Not the remote," he responded, leaving me somewhat confused. His pale blue eyes moved towards the bonnet of my car. "The car battery is flat." His smirk grew wider and I felt like nothing but a joke to him. "You left your lights on."

"Oh," I sighed. Inside my head I cursed myself. Trust me to do something that idiotic. Tony let out a laugh that only made me blush almost as red as his jacket. That's when I noticed it. He changed his clothes. His leather pants were still on, but the shirt and jacket were gone, replaced by a long, deep red trench-coat. Worst of all, he wore no shirt underneath. Not that I'm complaining about the sight of his bare chest and perfectly sculpted abs, but I just felt awkward staring at a guy I barely know in that way. He stretched himself over to the door handle of the passenger door and threw it open.

"Jump in, I'll give you a ride home."

"N-no, th-that's ok," I stuttered. "I don't want to b-be any tr-trouble." His blue eyes bore in to my own chocolate ones and I felt like I was stuck in a trance.

"I insist." He kept up his glare and before I knew it, I was strapped in to the passenger seat of his car as we took off out of the parking lot. We sat in silence much of the way. I was too bewildered by what was going on to try and make conversation. His stare never left the road, one arm leaning out the window, the other grasped firmly on to the steering wheel. Snapping myself out of my stupor, I just remembered something.

"I need to tell you where I live," I said. He never even flinched.

"Already do." My brow furrowed, he had me totally confused.

"How?" I managed to ask him. The corner of his mouth turned upward in an awkward half-smile, but he never answered. His foot pressed on the accelerator harder as we careened around another corner. I held my arms out to either side of me, desperately grabbing for anything so I wouldn't get jerked around. His eyes flicked back and forth from the road to the rear-view mirror. We sped around another corner and I had to squeeze my eyes shut. 'Please, let me get home in one piece,' I silently begged him. Almost as if he heard me, he tapped the brake and the car decelerated. His car slowed down as we approached my house. Shaking, I unclasped the seat belt.

"Um, thanks for that," I muttered, voice trembling from the adrenaline. Tony looked at me and motioned to my front door. I turned and saw my dad waiting for me in the doorway. He must have heard the noise of a strange car pulling up. I looked back at Tony.

"Better get going," was all he said. I had so many questions for him, so much I wanted to say, but my mouth made no words. Instead, my body removed me from the car and I was left standing outside as his car took off down the road. I merely stood there in disbelief about what had just happened.

"You ok, Uri?" I heard my dad call out to me. All I could do was nod. I walked up the driveway to the front door. Dad moved to let me in, closing the door behind us and locking it. "Who was that guy?"

"A friend," I muttered and made my way to my room.

I changed out of my uniform in to something much more comfortable and walked over to the window, hoping to see him again. There was nothing but the streetlights and crickets chirping. I couldn't get him out of my mind. Everything about him had me hooked. "What have you done to me, Tony?" The wind blew cold against my flushed cheeks, blowing my hair over my face as I let my pony tail down. I looked down and brushed the stray strands away. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the light shining on something on the window frame. It was a deep crimson colour, and looked like it had been splashed on there. I leaned in to take a closer look.

"Oh my God," I gasped, my blood turning to ice in my veins. It couldn't have been that, surely... but it was. It was as plain as the nose on my face, and I wanted to scream. No noise came from my throat. I couldn't move. Now I was truly terrified.

"Blood," I breathed. I grabbed the closest shirt I could find. Spitting on the end of it, I desperately tried to scrub it away. Thankfully it wiped away with ease. However, that also worried me. That meant the blood was still fresh. "No..." I cried softly and curled up in the fetal position beside my bed. Maybe I wasn't so crazy after all.

It might be that there was a reason I've been so scared all this time...


	7. Author's Note

Author's Note:

Hey guys! Sorry this has taken so long! It's been a hectic week and I haven't had much time to sit at the computer to write.

I just wanted to explain that the first few chapters of this story were more to ease me out of a slump I've been in the last 4 or 5 years. I haven't written anything in that whole time, so I do realize they read like the work of a 10 year old. I'm putting a lot more effort in to the next chapters. The next one will have a lot more of "Tony" so don't fret! He's about to become a major part of the story!

Please don't be afraid to send me any ideas you guys might have, and any ideas I use I will ALWAYS credit them to you!

Thanks, and happy reading!

- Cara


	8. Chasing down the answers

Ugh! This is probably my crappiest chapter yet _. I'm so sorry everyone, it seems it's taking me quite some time to get back in to writing, a lot longer than I thought it would. I apologize if it sounds repetitive, boring, and just generally awful. I haven't had a lot of time to myself lately. I will keep trying my hardest though. Please review with ANY suggestions you have. Anything will help me lately.

'Blood, it was blood. Blood on my windowsill...'

I could not remove the thought of the crimson from my head. That colour had haunted me quite a bit recently, but now there was a whole other reason behind it. The nightmares flooded back inside my head and barraged my common sense. There was blood on my window, and there was nothing to explain where it had come from except for the images in my mind. Tears flowed down my cheeks. I sobbed desperately. I was filled to the brim with pure terror and unanswered questions. 24 hours had passed and my life had turned around almost completely, only to be taken right back to where it started. Again, I was the lonely, petrified little girl that I had remained for 18 years, still worried about the bogeyman and unknown monsters.

Yet, now they all seemed so real.

I mean, where else would that blood have come from? I'm pretty damn sure I didn't cut myself that badly. And it couldn't have been there when dad opened the window, otherwise he would have noticed it, right? It must have appeared last night, maybe while I was asleep? Now, there's an odd notion. The one time I get to sleep soundly and something bad actually happens. Hot tears ran fresh with panic down my face. I felt overwhelmed and slightly dizzy. Was my dream really a dream? The possibility of it being more than that was undeniable. Here I am, envisioning a man with a red coat and white hair, eradicating those demon dogs left and right with ease in my nightmare, then the next day at work he shows up to buy a drink of J.D? Summing it up in one sentence, I felt like I was truly going insane. Maybe I was dreaming right now.

Tony.

The mysterious man who only left me with more questions. How the hell did he know where I live? Why was he waiting for me after work? Did he really make the jump from fantasy in to reality? My head pounded with confusion. My eyes were red and sore from the endless crying. I just _had_ to find out the truth about this "Tony" character. I needed to know everything about him, even if only to prove to myself that I may truly be insane. I am tired of being afraid, of not being able to live my life. I will find out the truth, and Tony seems the only way to get the information I so desire.

A faint knocking was heard on the other side of the bedroom door, stirring me from my thoughts. I wiped my face with the bottom of my singlet, trying to dry the tears.

"Come in."

The door creaked softly and dad poked his head around the door. His face was solemn and troubled as he looked at me. I was curled up with my knees to my chest. All I could do was stare at the window.

"Uri, honey? Are you ok?" He approached cautiously and gently rested a hand on my shoulder. My body jumped at the touch. "I could hear you crying. What happened?"

I looked up at him and tried to feign a smile. It felt awkward.

"I'm ok, Dad," I lied. "Just a rough day at work." I could tell he could see right through my false statement, but he knew not to pry any further.

"Well, if you say so. I came in to tell you that your mother wants to go out for dinner tonight."

"Oh, that sounds nice." My face felt like it was going to crack from the dried tears as I tried to smile again.

"Yes, well I thought I better come and ask you first. If you want me to stay home, I'm more than ha-" I raised my hand, stopping him mid sentence.

"I'm not a kid anymore, please. You two need to get out every now and then. Don't let me stop you from having a good time." The look on his face still showed concern.

"Uri, it's not a problem. I can stay if you really want me to." As much as I hated being alone at night, especially tonight, I couldn't hold them back from living their lives.

"It's fine, really. Please, enjoy at least _one_ night out."

"Ok, honey," he said with a hint of relief. "We'll be home by eight thirty, I promise. I'll lock all the doors and windows before I leave."

"Stop panicking, I'm a grown up now," I chuckled, surprised at how convincing I sounded. "I can take care of myself." He looked at me with a grin and ruffled my hair.

"I know. Sometimes I forget that you're all grown up now. You're not my little girl anymore." He leaned in and planted a tender kiss on my forehead. "Love you, honey." A single tear threatened to escape from my eye. I had to squint hard to hold it in. I looked up at my dad, my head screaming for him to stay, to let him know about the blood and the demons that lurked outside my window, to let him know that there was truth to my nightmares.

"I love you too, Dad," was all I could muster. Dad gave me a wink and promptly left the room. I held my breath until I heard the front door slam shut, and the fear settled itself in my veins once again. Now what was I going to do? The demons are sure to come back, aren't they? I'm still alive. They haven't finished their job, and won't be satisfied until they taste _my_ blood.

I took a deep breathe and closed my eyes. Attempting to regain my composure, I slowly got up and made my way to the window, closing it and making sure the lock was secure. If there were demons out there waiting to pounce on me, the smell of my fear would only provoke them to attack earlier. Well, at least that's what I thought. They looked like dogs, maybe they have the same traits as dogs or other animals? No, I can't dwell on silly theories. I need to wipe them from my thoughts entirely.

Most of the night I spent seated in front of the computer, eyes glued to the clock, trying my hardest not to look outside. The music was blaring throughout my room and it did help me keep calm. If I just stayed in this spot, then I should be safe. Curiosity was doing it's best to take over. No, I had to keep in control. I would not leave my room for anything. If I had to go to the toilet, I would just have to hold it in. Besides, Dad and my mother would be home at 8:30pm, and Dad always keeps his word. I glanced over at the clock on my bedside table.

8:13pm. Around 15 minutes till they get home.

I sighed in relief, I was going to make it. "Thank God for that!" I said aloud, but as soon as those words left my lips, I heard a crunching noise outside. It sounded like it was coming from down the road. My eyes bulged and I quickly turned the music off. I held my breath, my ears straining to listen for the noise again.

_Crunch_

My heart stopped as I heard that the sound was making it's way closer. Bushes rustled near my window. What the hell was I going to do? Seeing the only thing I could do was hide, I dove under my bed, clutching a pillow that was laying on the floor. There was no way I was gonna face whatever it was hunting me down. Trembling, I squeezed my eyes shut as tight as possible and tried not to make a sound. Maybe whatever it was would get bored and leave me alone. At least, I hoped it would. Curiosity was starting to get the better of me. As much as I was terrified of the demons, I needed to see them with my own eyes. Cautiously, I peeked out through one eye and froze when a pair of bright red orbs met mine. I wanted to scream, but there was no sound. A set of snarling fangs with that same acid-like saliva were pressed firmly against the glass. The snarls coming from the demon sounded unlike any animal I have ever heard. They were deep and purely menacing. Its' claws dug in to the wood of the windowsill as It stretched it's body up to look at me. All I could do was stare as it eyed me down, obviously looking for the quickest way to attack me. My mouth hung open in a silent scream and tears trickled down my cheeks. This was it. They have hunted me down and now I am at their mercy.

_BANG!_

_A yelp of pain._

_BANG!_

_A 'thud' as the demon fell to the ground._

_The sharp high-pitched squeal of a distressed little girl._

_It was over._

I blinked. I gasped. I trembled. Most of all, I was not dead. There was no escaping it this time. Somebody had rescued me, in real life this time. No, maybe my nightmare was a reality as well. My gaze darted around the room as I pulled myself out from my hiding spot. The clock flashed the time again. 8:14pm. It was over so quickly. I raced over to the window and looked down at the ground. There was nothing but a bubbling puddle of something black. Was that the demon? Is that what happens when they die? That would explain why no humans have ever seen a demon's body I guess. I cast my sights down the street. Then I saw it again.

A flash of red.

The red blur had disappeared down the street before I had barely unlocked my window. It had to be him. It had to be Tony. I had to know. I grabbed a jacket from my closet and threw on some flip flops and ran out the front door, leaving it hanging wide open. I didn't care about technicalities. I had to track down this Tony guy, and fast.

As little as I know about him, I know that my life depends on finding him.


	9. Her prayers answered

A/N: Oh lord, I'm so sorry I'm late with this chapter! Been a very busy month and, to be honest, I've had trouble with just how this is all going to work out in this chapter. I have therefore decided that this will be in 3rd person POV. I will switch between the 2 POV's as I see fit. I just couldn't get this one to work in Uri's POV without it sounding too... repetitive.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it to some degree :)

Uriela's feet pounded hard against the bitumen beneath her feet. The chill in the night air stung her lungs as she gasped for more air, her cheeks red and eyes sore. Wherever the mystery figure took of to, he sure was fast. Uriela wasn't sure if she'd ever be able to catch up to him, but it was too late to turn back. All logic escaped her as she tried her darnedest to chase down the potentially deadly person that had invaded her dreams. Hell, she wasn't even sure if he wanted to kill her too. Her thoughts were a tangled mess, darting back and forth from one idea to the next, each one as crazy as the last. Her ears were barraged by these thoughts as well as the sound of her footsteps echoing down the abandoned street.

If this 'mystery man' had intended to make her another one of his victims, wouldn't he have done so already? He had more than one perfect opportunity to do the deed. He must have been on her side. If not, he had a sick way of torturing his victims with false hope. No matter. Uriela only wanted answers, and didn't care how she got them or what it would take. Each stride she took, she was getting closer to what she needed, what she had searched for all her life.

Truth.

As though that one word had inspired her, she broke in to a sprint, legs stretched far in front and behind her body. She only managed to sprint a little distance before her legs began to give way, and she feared she would not make it the distance. Still, she pressed on, sure that her goal was within some sort of reach. The street began to narrow up ahead, her house long forgotten in the background. How long had she been running for? Her legs would tell you too long, her heart unable to be heard over it's incessant beating, yet her mind had frozen in time. Hours, minutes, even seconds meant nothing to her.

From the darkness behind her, foreign sounds approached rapidly. Her step began to falter as the flow of adrenaline increased, coursing through her body at an alarming, vein-crushing speed. She was no longer in her own body, her judgment clouded by pure survival instinct and she was not aware of anything except the near-galloping noise coming up the rear. Shallow breath, ragged and hollow. This was true fear. Snarls rang in her ears like warning sirens blaring over the sound of the heavy paws.

Paws?

The demon dogs.

Somehow they had escaped the Savior in Red and had sniffed Uriela out. All their attention was focused on hunting her down. They would be relentless, oh yes, very relentless. Their mission was set in stone. Suddenly, Uriela realized something very crucial. She was running down an empty street, in the open, no streetlights to be seen, chasing after someone who probably wasn't even real, being chased by hell hounds. Most of all, there was nothing she could do about it now.

She was alone.

To the devil dogs, she was the dessert they'd been craving for a long time, and here she was, serving herself t them on a plate so to speak. Surely nothing could be sweeter for these demons. Howls and deep, foreboding barks could be heard, crying out in success. 'Flawless victory,' she thought to herself. As the shocking realisation of the insanely stupid thing she had done hit her, it happened. A crack in the road stopped her short in her tracks and sent her careening face-first towards the ground. Time halted as her head hit the road with a shattering, thundering 'CRACK!'.

Dazed, Urielea scrambled to get back to her feet. She failed. Heat and a strange, thick moistness flowed quickly down her face and blurred her vision. She rolled on to her back in defeat, cradling her wound as she silently wept. Again, her throat had refused to make any sounds that might alert someone to her desperate situation. It wouldn't matter anyway, everyone in the street was in bed or out for the night, including her parents. She thought about never being able to see them again, and tears flowed down her temples, melting with the hot liquid cascading from her gash. She tried to open her eyes but warm crimson stung them shut again. Blood. She relied only on her dimming senses, unable to see and her hearing failing as she fought to stay conscious.

Creeping close to her body, the demons mouths salivated with domination and hunger. The scent of her blood had signaled more of the dogs to her, at least 8 of them sniffing her limp body, drool dripping from their sharp fangs. This would be their easiest catch. Deep growls reverberated in her ears but she could not move. The scent of their foul, rotten breath stung her nostrils even though she was weak. The scent of her own blood tingled every one of their senses and threatening to send them into a frenzy. It almost seemed like her dream, though it was very different. In her dream there was no pain, there was no blood, and the demons had never seemed as terrifying as they did right now. Maybe it was the loss of blood, but Uriela had given up completely. Hopeless. It all seemed utterly, utterly hopeless. Uriela, sobbing, caved in to the darkness that swallowed her and blacked out.

After what seemed like endless days, Uriela finally awoke. Her vision was still hazy. Somehow, she was moving, though her legs were still. Her body felt numb, like it was floating through the air, through the darkness. All she could see was black. Her head flopped backwards as she drifted through the space around her. _Am I dead?_ she thought to herself. _Is this what death is? Floating in nothingness?_ It made strange sense to her. Often she'd wondered about what waits on the other side. Now it was clear. There was oblivion. Nothing but you and your thoughts as you floated through an empty sky. It was a calm feeling. There were no pearly gates, no flames and pitchforks. Just you and your logic deliberating everything and anything for eternity. Truly relaxing.

Uriela was stirred from her blissfully ignorant state when she felt her body jolt slightly, like she had bumped in to something... _A bump? _she pondered. _Do you experience turbulence here? _Her eyelids fluttered open and she looked on in to the black above her, noticing little white flecks in the space. Her body continued to jerk around over and over, and she had no idea what to make of it. Could she really be dead? Something was disturbing her peaceful slumber. Her eyes squinted as she tried to move her head around, scanning for anything in this strange void. Her senses crept back through he body and she could feel something under her back and knees. She was being carried, she _had_ to be! The sticky residue on her head was made apparent as she wearily raised her hand to feel her wound. The blood was still there, half dried and coating much of her face and hair. Her eyes cast themselves to the right, searching for anything to explain what was going on. Then, she saw it.

_The tall, brooding man._

_The mane of silver hair._

_The red trenchcoat._

_The hilt of a sword._

_Her Savior in Red._

_A sombre whisper._

"Tony..."


	10. Party with the Devil

Ok, this chapter was a real pain to write. FOREWARNING! I really suck at writing action scenes! _ and the ending might seem a little rushed but I'm exhausted and wanted to get this chapter out because it's been sitting here for about 2 weeks half-done, so I apologize in advance for how horrible it is. And also, if it seems like Uriela is a bit of a Mary-Sue at the moment, that's not my intention, and I'm not going to let her end up as a Mary-Sue! She gets a lot better as the story goes on, at least in my head that's what I see haha!

Please review, even if it's negative or constructive criticism! Need all the help I can get at the moment!

Strong arms carried her slender frame effortlessly. Uriela had no idea where she was being taken to, nor did she care. All that mattered was that she felt safe in the leather-clad man's arms, like there wasn't a care in her tiny world as he whisked her away. She could worry about her slightly healed gash and disorienting headache later. For now, nothing was going to happen to her. Tony was here, and she owed him more than her life in return.

Unaware of her actions, she cuddled her body closer to his warm, bare chest.

"Tony..." she muttered through a smile, her own breathless whisper was almost inaudible to her own ears. Somehow, the white haired man had heard her and glanced down, returning her smile with a look of relief in his ice blue eyes. The striking colour of those orbs took her breath for a moment.

"Nice to see you finally woke up," he said in jest, not breaking his proud stride for a second. "Was worried you were getting too comfortable there." Uriela's smile only widened at the sound of his calming voice, lost in his arms and relishing in his body heat as she slowly gained her bearings. She looked up at him.

"Did you..." she trailed off, finding it hard to focus on forming simple sentences. "Did you save... me?" The question seemed to only raise a chuckle from her Savior.

"Had no choice. You were nearly an early dinner for those mutts." His eyes fixated on the embarrassed expression filling her face. "Can't let them devour someone so pretty now, can I?" he finished with a wink, which made Uriela's cheeks glow a faint pink.

"But how-" she cut herself off in mid sentence. Something in Tony's eyes suddenly turned dark and serious, his head perked up. He looked to be straining to listen for something in the distance. "What's wrong?" Uriela tried to sit up, getting more and more frightened by the glare in his eyes. The man in red held her tighter, keeping her body still.

"Nothing to worry your pretty little head about," he replied. It did nothing to calm her nerves. She knew there had to be more hell hounds around.

"Tony, just leave me here. They're after me and-" He shushed her and her mouth instantly snapped shut.

"Keep quiet. I told you not to worry." His face was stern, but she refused to listen.

"But they'll kill you!" she shouted in panic. "Leave me here and save yourself!" Tony merely shook his head.

"I can tell I'm going to have trouble with you. Now, will you just listen to me?" The dark edge in his tone made her body shudder against his hold. He looked down at her and grinned, sensing her unease. "Now relax, I'm more than capable to handle these stupid mutts." Uriela nodded slightly in response, deciding to take a leap of faith and put all her trust in the man.

With that, his pace quickened as they approached his red convertible, the very same car that she had been driven home in earlier that night. Tony lifted her over the side and sat her gently in the passenger seat.

"Where are we going?" she asked, still a little dazed from the fall. The man in red ignored her question and pulled 2 items from the back seat, seeming to tuck them behind his back. Confused, Uriela cocked an eyebrow at him, unsure what to make of his bizarre behavior. Tony simply winked at her.

In the distance, a long, droning howl could be heard and made her skin crawl.

"Quick!" she frantically begged, almost breathless from the panic rising in her throat. She really didn't need another encounter with the dogs tonight, or at all for that matter. "Let's get out of here!" Tony brushed her off and moved swiftly to the driver's side door and opened it. He placed the key in the ignition. However, he did not start the car. Instead, he turned the key only by one 'click', then shut the door again. Through the windshield, Uriela could see him take his place at the front of the car, the full breadth of the sword on his back visible to her now. The blade was huge, around 6 feet long and as wide as her thigh. The handle was adorned with 3 bones joining to a skull in the middle. A holster sat snugly under the giant sword, housing 2 guns. One looked a pale silver, the other a deep black. Both were as deadly as each other, Uriela had no doubt about that. He turned his face to the side.

"You gotta have music if you wanna party!" Uriela had no idea what was going on, but turned the stereo on anyway, wondering what the hell music and partying had to do with running away from demons. As she pushed the button, heavy rock music blasted through the speakers, making her brain throb against the inside of her skull. "Track 9!" Tony shouted over the blare of the thick bass line and erratic guitar riffs. She did as she was told, flicking over to his requested song. He grinned back at her when the song began to play, his eyes clouded over with no trace of the ice blue left. It frightened her.

From the shadows, the demons descended upon them, eyes gleaming and mouths clearly salivating with hunger. Tony's hand moved up to grab the hilt of the unsheathed sword, not pulling it from his back yet. He stood still, muscles poised and ready for action. Uriela hoped he knew exactly what he was doing. More demons appeared from the shadows, ready to gang up on the one silly human who dared to take them on. Over 20 of them started to circle Tony, but he didn't look even the slightest bit worried. A huge grin adorned his chiseled features. It seemed this was fun to him. He gripped the hilt of the weapon tighter.

"Looks like the guests have finally arrived," he said smugly, removing the blade from his back and lowering it to his side. Snarls and barking filled the night air, the dogs also preparing to pounce. "Let's get this party started!" Uriela was frozen as she watched him charge head-first in to the demon horde. She didn't want to look, but she couldn't tear her eyes away either. Could he really handle himself against this many? With one long swipe of his blade, he cut through 3 of them with ease, and her questions were answered. Blood spewed from their corpses before they landed on the road and slowly bubbled away until no trace of them was left. It was a bewildering sight, seeing this black pool of what looked like wet tar, boiling and festering on the ground until it vanished, almost like they never existed. Uriela was finding it hard to believe if this was even reality anymore.

Tony continued to mutilate the demons as they continued to attack him over and over. His attention focused on a dog in front of him, one of the other hounds decided to take the opportunity, trying to jump and maul him from behind. His reflexes were too quick however. Taking one last stab at the monster in front of him, he turned swiftly on his heels and thrust out his sword, skewering the demon in mid-air. It let out a pained yelp as the blade pierced its' flesh. He the swung his sword around, demon still dangling on the weapon, and sent the dog flying in the distance. To her, it looked like he was playing baseball with them, toying with them. She didn't find herself scared at all. More like _entertained_. She truly was rooting for Tony the whole time, a smile working it's way on her face when he succeeded in slaughtering the dogs.

One after another, they bolted out from the shadows, teeth bared and ready to tear flesh apart, but every time it seemed Tony knew what they were going to do and was more than ready, a six foot sword in one hand, a black pistol in the other. He truly was fascinating to watch, even though the act itself was quite gruesome. Gun shots filled the air as the body count continued to pile up. Uriela sat in the passenger seat of the car, her body rigid and eyes wide in amazement. The man in red was swift and unfaltering, striking at the demons with almost no effort at all, aside from the occasional "Hyah!" that fell from his mouth. He handled his weapons with style, almost like he had been trained to do this. The dogs grew more ferocious as they failed to leave a scratch on the man in red, and stormed after him like angry bulls. He would back flip over them, jump and shoot at them in mid-air, and every time he would land on his feet with the grace of a cat. The numbers dwindled fast, her Savior obviously too much for them to handle.

"Ok," he said, puffing as he approached a wounded demon, "Last one for the night. Hate to leave, but I got things to do."

Tony slayed the final dog, pulling out his twin guns and pointing at it as it crawled pitifully along the ground.

"So much for the party," he said before littering the demon with copious amounts of bullets. Uriela found it strange that it seemed like he never needed to reload his guns, no matter how much ammo he went through. Tony housed his twin guns in to the holster on his back as he watched the demons corpse disappear in to a black seething mess. Satisfied that his job was complete, he returned to the car where Uriela sat, unable to speak. "You ok girl?" he asked, seeming to be only a little worn out from the epic battle. She could only nod in reply, swallowing hard as she tried to slow the flow of adrenaline in her body. He gave a chuckle and moved to the back seat, pulling out an acoustic guitar case. He put it on the ground and opened it, placing his weapons and holster in the case before clipping it closed and putting it back where he found it.

"Wow..." was all she could say, eyes blinking hard in disbelief at what had just happened. Tony laughed.

"Yeah, that was kinda fun, but I was pretty disappointed with the turn out." Uriela cocked an eyebrow at him, his care-free attitude puzzled her. How could he be so relaxed about it? He got in to the drivers seat, brushing off the fur that suck to his jacket. "Damn mutts, I only washed it this morning!" Of all the things for him to complain about, laundry was at the top of his list. "Come on then," he said as he started the car. "Let's get you home. Don't want your parents worrying about where you are." She nodded again, regaining her composure and control over her emotions again.

"About that," she started. Tony's eyes never left the road.

"About what?"

"You know where I live," she continued. "How did you know that?" The question failed to gain much of a reaction from him.

"Just do." He was being blasé about the subject, obviously not wanting to reveal too many details about anything.

"How can you 'just' know?" she pressed him further. "And why do you slay demons?" Tony's car gained speed as they took off down the street in the direction of her house. His driving frightened her. The man in red kept a serious look on his face and never answered the questions. In no time at all, they were back out the front of her house. Only now did she notice the blaring lights of an emergency vehicle parked in the opening of the driveway.

"Police?" she queried, and hurried to get out of the car. Two policemen were standing at the front door, knocking and ringing the doorbell until she came running up to them. They retreated from the door.

"Are you Uriela Davis?" the taller one of the two asked. His blonde hair jutted out from under his hat.

"Yeah, that's me. What's going on?" Uriela noticed that her parents' car wasn't in the driveway. She quickly glanced at her watch to see the time was 9:26pm, well after when she was expecting them home. The shorter female on the right put her hand on Uriela's shoulder, the officer's brunette ponytail falling off her shoulder. "I'm so sorry, but there's been an accident."

In the car, Tony stayed in the drivers' seat, not moving and watching closely as she spoke with the police. He saw her suddenly burst in to tears, falling to her knees on the ground and howling. The officers attempted to console her and pull her up but she was in hysterics. Tony could hear her as she cried out "It's not fair! No! No! No!" but he remained where he was. After a few moments, the police noticed the red convertible and said a few words to Uriela, which the man in red could not make out. He watched as Uriela looked over at him and stalked her way over to the car. When she got close, Tony could see her face was deeply flushed and her eyes red and swollen with tears.

"What's going on?" he asked, trying not to be too pushy with her. She wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her jacket in an attempt to stifle a sob.

"Mother and... Dad were in a c-car... accident," she said through ragged breath. "Mother's in a coma." She chewed on her lower lip, trying to suppress her tears.

"What about your Dad?" The look in her eyes when she heard the word 'Dad' made Tony wish he really hadn't asked. Her face became littered with fresh tears as she tried to speak calmly, but the words only ended up tumbling from her mouth before she broke down again.

"Dad... Dad's dead..."


End file.
